Spirit of a Liberal

The Rainbow Sash Movement is an organization of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and  transgender Catholics, with their families and friends, who are publicly calling the Roman Catholic Church to a conversion of heart around the issues of human sexuality.

Brian McNeill of the Minnesota Chapter has advised Archbishop John C. Nienstedt of the Archdiocese of St. Paul-Minneapolis that LGBT Catholics and their allies would be present wearing rainbow sashes at this year’s Pentecost Sunday noon Mass at the Cathedral of St. Paul.  McNeil also reiterates:

We cannot repeat too often that we attend Mass on Pentecost to celebrate who we are, not to protest.  We participate in Mass in the same way we do all the other days of the year.  But on Pentecost we come out of the closet as lgbt Catholics, family and friends to remind our fellow Catholics that we too are part of God’s loving family.

The archbishop has responded with a letter in which he states:

Anyone wearing a “rainbow sash” will not be permitted to receive Holy Communion, since their dissent is a sign that they have publicly broken communion with the Church’s teaching. I also ask that those not wearing the sashes refrain from sharing the Holy Eucharist with those who do. Such an action is unbecoming the dignity of the sacrament.

Read the full letter and additional commentary at The Progressive Catholic Voice.